82 JOURNAL OF THE 



When a solution of mercurin sulphate was used instead of the 

 chloride a blackish deposit containing mercury and phosphorus 

 was gotteu and at the same time much metallic mercury was 

 formed, showing a complete reduction. 



A number of other solutions were tested in the same way, but 

 lack of time prevented a thorough examination. No effect was 

 noticed in the case of antimony chloride, bismuth nitrate, chro- 

 mium sulphate, titanium chloride, manganous sulphate, sodium 

 tungstate, zinc sulphate, potassium chromate and cobalt sulphate; 

 with nickel sulphate a green amorphous deposit was gotten, con- 

 taining nickel and phosphorus; with potassium permanganate a 

 dark, heavy, green deposit was obtained; with lead acetate a 

 white deposit, containing lead, and acetic and phosphoric acids; 

 with uranium acetate there seemed to be first an oxidation of the 

 phosphorus to phosphoric acid, this precipitating uranium in the 

 well-known way. No phosphoric acid could be detected in the 

 solution above the yellow deposit. In the case of ammonium 

 molybdate the liquid went through many changes of color, indicat- 

 ing the stages of reduction, but the resulting products were not 

 closely examined. This, then, cannot be looked upon as a report 

 of work finished, but rather of work interrupted and necessarily 

 given up for the present. The examination of these changes 

 more thoroughly offers much of interest, and will be taken up 

 again when opportunity offers. 



The reducing action of phosphorous acid upon metallic solu- 

 tions is known and often quoted. The formation of phosphorous 

 acid is most probably an intermediate step here and the reactions 

 are to be accounted for by its presence. 



Chemical Laboratory U. N. C, May, 1890. 



